296 MONTHLY REVIEW OF LITERATURE. 



fighting at the head of his soldiers, and though nearly blind, performing pro- 

 digies of valour, painted by Palma ; and the other, the assault of Zara by sea 

 and land, painted by Vicentino, containing one of the finest horses that can be 

 found on canvas. Above these heart-stirring reminiscences of the olden 

 exploits, are the portraits of the Doges of Venice, upwards of seventy in 

 number. The portrait of one is wanting, that of Marino Faliero ; the space 

 which it should have occupied presents a black tablet, on which is painted in 

 white letters, " Hie est locus Marini Falethri decapitati pro criminibus," 

 The apartment adjoining to the council-hall contains a great number of paint- 

 ings on the walls and ceiling, of a similar cast to those before mentioned. We 

 made a cursory survey of the council-chambers appropriated to the sittings of 

 the select ten, and the more powerful three, in whose hands were placed the 

 lives and fortunes of the whole population of Venice. In passing through 

 these chambers, how many thoughts came over us of the modes of accusation, 

 the forms of trial, and the blood-thirsty decisions of which this place was the 

 scene. The lions' mouths, into whose jaws of stone were dropped the anony- 

 mous accusation sufficient to cause the arrest of the suspected parties, the 

 small chamber hung with black cloth, and the three masked and robed inqui- 

 sitorial judges seated in their chairs of office, whilst their secretary cross- 

 questioned the unfortunate, and in many cases, innocent victim of a malignant 

 secret foe, the decisions too often guided by views of state policy and expe- 

 diency, will always cause this once-dreaded place to be entered with a feeling 

 of sorrow by all subjects of free states. In the hall of the senate is the throne 

 of the doges, placed in the centre of the seats reserved for the ten : seats for 

 the subordinate members of the senate are placed on each side. Such inscrip- 

 tions as the following, which are inscribed in large letters, are a species of 

 mockery : " CUSTODES LIBERTATIS NUMQUAM DERELICTA." 



" In the cathedral of St. Mark are the veritable bones of the evangelist. 

 The five domes give the exterior an air of oriental grandeur. Externally and 

 internally the walls are laden with hundreds of columns of porphyry, and 

 variegated marbles. The floors, ceilings, and compartments, are inlaid with 

 mosaics, gilding, and bronze. There are no fewer than fifteen gates of brass, 

 spoils brought from Constantinople nearly seven hundred years ago. The 

 columns most thought of are eight, supposed to have come from the Temple of 

 Jerusalem. When I looked up at the four bronze horses, the glory of Venice, 

 which adorn at a high elevation the front of the cathedral, I thought of a 

 remark made to me by a gentleman who was present when the allied armies, 

 in 1815, caused them to be taken down from the triumphal arch in the Place 

 du Carrousel at Paris, whither they had been taken in 1797, when the republic 

 of Venice was prostrated by the republic of France. When the blocks and 

 machinery by which they were removed were first put in motion, volleys of 

 sacres, pestes, and other ejaculations of anger burst forth from the enraged 

 spectators, who, in their indignation at the removal of the trophies of the vic- 

 tories of the French army, were almost induced to oppose the proceedings. 

 The presence of the allied forces caused them at last, on more mature REFLEC- 

 TION, to swallow the bitter pill. As the Venetians have no living horses, no 

 wonder they should be proud of these, whose symmetrical proportions are 

 pronounced to be faultless. Corinth, Rome, and Constantinople, have been 

 by antiquarians named as the places from whence they were brought. 



" To the Rialto ho ! where " Signor Antonio had many a time and oft" 

 rated the Jew Shylock about his moneys and usury. When there I thought of 

 Shakspeare and of Kean, and looked at the bridge, and was disappointed. 

 Twelve shops, six on each side of the bridge, betwixt which is a narrow space 

 for the passengers, contain " the jewellers of the Rialto," now few in number 

 who sell their wares in places more like booths than aught else. Having 

 imagined a spacious elegant place, where the merchants of Venice at hour of 

 'change resorted, we were not prepared for the reality. It is now a much- 

 frequented place. In passing through an abundantly-supplied fruit market, 



